A Legacy in Blue and Maize: Tracing the History of the University of Michigan Football Jersey
The University of Michigan Wolverines football program boasts a rich and storied history, dating back to 1879. Beyond the wins and championships, the evolution of the team's uniform reflects changes in football technology, style, and tradition. From simple letter sweaters to modern, technologically advanced gear, the Michigan football jersey has undergone a fascinating transformation.
Early Days: Function Over Fashion (1879-1900)
In the late 19th century, football uniforms prioritized functionality over elaborate design. The Michigan Chronicle reported in May 1879, that the team "appeared on campus for the first time in their new suits. They presented quite a neat appearance." The team's uniforms remained essentially the same for the next several years, though there were some differences in the way the shirt laced up or buttoned and in the type of collar. Each team did have different style of hat. The 188 team was the first to pose in a "letter sweater" with a M monogram. The 1888 uniform included a simple "M" monogram that would be used for several years and for the first time several players posed in striped sweaters. it might be stretch to say the 1889 team had "uniform", since four distinct variations appear in the team photo. The quilted, padded pants made their first appearance in the 1889 photo. 1890 captain William Malley wore one of the sleeveless vests that would be a standard part of uniforms for the next 20 years. In the 1891 team photo the varsity letter winners wore a white sweater bearing an early version of a Block M. By 1892, the sleeveless vest over a dark jersey (blue?) was the most common uniform, though there is some variety within that style. Striped socks were an innovation in1892, along with a dark letter sweater with a maize (or white?) M and collar and cuffs. The 1894 team's letter sweater sported an oversize version of a Block M. .Three variants of uniforms from 1895. The quilted pants and sleeveless vest were now standard. It is not clear if the monogrammed jersey was typically worn under the vest. The vest itself usually did not contain any type of monogram or marking. Fred "Pa" Henninger, captain of the 1896 team, modeled the classic end-of- the-century uniform in an 1896 team photo, complete with cap with stylized UM logo. Two early examples of shoulder pads from 1896 and 1898 team photos foreshadow changes that were to come in the new century. By the late 1890s a variety of primitive head gear had begun to be used. The 1898 Alumni Team photo includes several examples. The football helmet is said to have been invented by George Barclay of Lafayette College in 1896, Similar in design to the helmets pictured above, it made its debut in Lafayette's game against Penn on October 28, 1896. The 1879 team sported a rather stylish shoe, but the next year the more familiar black high-top appeared. It would be the basic model for years, but there were some variations and a few players wore footwear that was more boot-like. Judging from team photos, most shoes remained smooth-soled into the early 1890s, although a few players wore shoes with exaggerated tread or a sort of proto-cleat. Another piece of optional protective gear appeared in the late 1890s--the rubber nose guard.. Patented in 1891 by the Morrill company, it was touted in the 1902 Spalding catalog as being "made of the finest rubber" and providing "absolute protection for the nose and teeth" The guard was never widely adopted by Michigan players. The bottom image is a player from the famous Carlisle Indian School team that played the Wolverines in Detroit in 1901. [Good game action photos of payers wearing the nose guard are hard to come by.
Early uniforms consisted of sweaters or vests, often adorned with "U of M" or a Block 'M'. By 1900, quilted pants were largely replaced by "moleskin" pants, a strong cotton fabric with internal padding. The Block M reached its modern form by 1902, and the letterman's sweater with a high collar became the dominant style through 1915.
The Dawn of Protection and Identification (1900-1937)
As football evolved, so did the need for player protection. A variety of protective headgear began appearing in the late 1890s. By 1903, the helmet worn by Willie Heston had become a popular model, though some players continued to go helmetless into the early 1920s. Willie Heston's uniform in 1903-1904 included both shin guards and a helmet.
Numerals on the back of jerseys were introduced in 1915, although number ranges were not yet associated with positions. In some years the team captain wore #1, and other numbers were assigned alphabetically. It was not unusual for a player's number to change between seasons or even between games.
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By 1920, helmets were nearly universally worn, although the NCAA didn't mandate them until 1939. Different models were frequently in use at the same time. The helmet worn by Edliff Slaughter was typical of the mid-to-late 1920s.
A notable departure from tradition occurred in the 1928 game against Navy. Michigan gave up its blue jerseys in deference to the Midshipmen's color, appearing in what the Detroit Free Press described as "bright yellow" jerseys.
Fielding Yost, the legendary Michigan coach, endorsed helmet and shoulder pads from ca. 1926 "Hurry Up" product line. Fielding Yost lent his name and nickname to a line of football equipment offered by he Wright & Ditson company. It is unclear if Michigan actually used any of the "Hurry Up" gear. Numerals on the front of jerseys first appeared in the post-season 1930 varsity team photo.
The Winged Helmet Era Begins (1937-1960)
The story of Fritz Crisler's introduction of the winged helmet in 1937 is well known. It was supposed to help the passers more easily identify their intended receivers down field and to add a little flair to the Michigan uniform, Less well known is that the previous season Harry Kipke's team had added some decoration to their helmets. For two games in 1935 and the first three conference games of 1937 the team wore the white striped helmets but reverted to the unmarked version for of the remainder of the season.
Bob Chappuis (and fiancee Anne Gestie) appeared on the cover of LOOK magazine just before the 1948 Rose Bowl game. schools, U-M carried the winged design forward. In 1949 white jerseys were adopted for the Northwestern and Illinois away games.
Read also: History of the Block 'M'
Innovations and Tradition (1961-1993)
In 1962, certain players were given a "Wolverbear" patch on their shoulder, a Wolverine wearing a sailor hat with a Block 'M' on it. The idea came from assistant coach Bob Hollway, who was inspired by the Army's tradition of having different platoons have different patches. The players given the "Wolverbear" patch were called the "raiders."
The Block 'M' was added onto the shoulder of the jersey in 1968, but only for home games. When Bo Schembechler was hired in 1969, he brought a new tradition of placing maize, football-shaped stickers on the back of the helmet to recognize big plays from his players. He also removed the Block 'M' from the sleeves and replaced it with the jersey number.
For the Rose Bowl in 1977, Michigan put the players' last names on the jerseys for the first time. Then, in 1980, players' last names were placed on both the home and away jerseys, and they have remained on the jerseys since. Minimal changes happened in the next 13 years, aside from shoulder patches during bowl games.
The Modern Era: Nike, Adidas, and the Constant Return to Classic (1994-Present)
In 1994, Nike penned a contract with Michigan athletics to become the official apparel provider. Nike didn't overhaul the jersey, opting to keep the look classic. They returned the Block 'M' to the shoulder of the away jersey in 1997 before removing it again in 2005. The 2005 away jerseys also featured maize piping from the shoulders down to the midsection.
Patches continued to be added for bowl games and special occasions, such as the 100th meeting between Michigan and Ohio State.
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Michigan signed a new apparel contract with Adidas. Like Nike, Adidas left the main conventions of the uniform alone, but made minor changes. For example, the years that the Wolverines won the Big Ten title were sewn on the inside of the shoulder.
In its night game against Notre Dame on Sept. 10, 2011, Michigan donned throwback uniforms. They were primarily white with maize and blue stripes on the shoulders and the Block 'M' on the left chest.
The Adidas era didn't last long in Ann Arbor, because as soon as the contract expired, Michigan signed with a different brand.
Michigan athletics signed once again with Nike, more specifically with the Jordan brand. Once again, the jerseys remained largely the same despite the new apparel provider.
In their season opener in 2017, the Wolverines debuted all-maize jerseys, just the second time in history, with the other being the aforementioned game against Navy in 1928. Michigan also added the all-blue variant in 2021 and even wore them in the National Championship Game.
Helmet Decals: A Modern Tradition
Since 2021, the team has continued a tradition of issuing helmet stickers of varying significance. On August 10, 2021, associate athletic director Dave Ablauf confirmed to the Detroit News that players were presented with a series of helmet stickers with varying designs and meaning, based on accomplishments on and off the field during their careers.
Examples of helmet decals awarded to the team in recent years include:
- A decal featuring a leftward-facing snarling wolverine, along with the incremental Michigan football program all-time win total associated with the victory.
- A sticker with the Big Ten Logo on a book, presumed to signify Academic all-conference honors for a particular player.
- A sticker depicting a Michigan varsity lettermanâs jacket, presumed to signify a player earning their varsity letter for a season.
- A sticker with the depiction of a bowl game logo, signifying a playerâs participation in that bowl game (win or lose).
- A sticker featuring the three-digit telephone area code from the playerâs hometown.
- A sticker depicting Michiganâs rivalry trophy victories along with a depiction of the trophy itself [(6a) Little Brown Jug/Minnesota; (6b) Paul Bunyan Trophy/Michigan State and, (6c) The George Jewett Trophy/Northwestern (new in 2021)] along with the incremental all-time program win total associated with the win.
- A sticker featuring a sword & shovel intersecting a Michigan football helmet. This is presumed to represent a team-related season MVP honor (not game-specific).
- A sticker with the letters âTEDâ â This is an acronym for âThere Every Day.â This appears to be an individual achievement for daily participation in a team-related activity.
- A sticker with a block M with the word âATTACKâ â Specific rules for qualification are unknown.
- A sticker with the letter âCâ for individual players elected as captains for a given season.
- A sticker again featuring the sword and shovel intersecting a Michigan football helmet (see 7) but also the incremental all-time program win total associated with the victory. This is presumed to present a team-related game individual or unit honor.
- A new sticker reading âMVPâ awarded to players voted team Most Valuable Player at the annual Michigan Awards ceremony (also retroactively).
- A stylized decal in the shape of the silver football atop the Big Ten Championship Trophy (including B1G logo).
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